Meta Expert Dispels Gov’t Claims on Facebook Monetization In Sierra Leone
By Kelvin Jay
In response to recent announcements by government officials regarding the rollout of Facebook monetization in Sierra Leone, Michael Fullah, a Meta Customer Operations Expert, has challenged the accuracy of those claims — particularly surrounding in-stream ads and Stars.
Fullah firmly stated that in-stream ads, which represent the primary revenue source for Facebook content creators globally, are currently not available to users in Sierra Leone. “The in-stream ads—the primary source for Facebook monetization—are not currently supported in Sierra Leone,” he said.
He further clarified that the Stars feature, which many have mistakenly interpreted as a monetization tool, has been misunderstood in the local context.
“Stars are a form of digital gift-giving used by followers, mainly from the diaspora, to support content creators. It’s not a monetization tool in the formal sense of Facebook’s business structure,” Fullah emphasized.
According to him, Stars are sent via digital payment, but because many Sierra Leonean bloggers lack access to digital banking, they are often unable to withdraw these funds, rendering the support symbolic rather than financially beneficial in many cases.
It can be recalled that on June 25, 2025, Chief Minister David Moinina Sengeh publicly announced that Facebook monetization had been activated in Sierra Leone, allowing creators to earn income from their content through Meta’s tools.
However, Fullah’s comments raise questions about the scope and availability of those tools, suggesting that while monetization infrastructure might be technically active, key revenue-generating features such as in-stream ads are still geographically restricted.
